


You Wanna Tell Me About It?

by RandoFando_Spoonie



Series: Maddie Buckley Week 2020 [3]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Day 3, Gen, Josh is still healing, Maddie is an awesome friend, MaddieBuckleyWeek2020, coffee dates are great, josh is in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25710061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandoFando_Spoonie/pseuds/RandoFando_Spoonie
Summary: Maddie's taking some time off after having the baby, she and Josh meet up for coffee & tea and Maddie can tell something is bugging her best friend, can she help?
Relationships: Maddie Buckley & Josh Russo
Series: Maddie Buckley Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1861294
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	You Wanna Tell Me About It?

Josh and Maddie sat together at a new little cafe they'd been frequenting since Maddie had the baby and was taking some time off work. They sat on the patio, little Malia snoozing away in her stroller. Maddie had some kind of fancy herbl tea late thing in front of her and Josh had coffee. His leg was bouncing and he was picking at his napkin, anxious.

“Something's bugging you.” Maddie spoke, smiling softly at her friend when he flushed, “You wanna tell me about it?”

Josh fidgeted, took a sip of his coffee and shrugged, “I don't know, it's... it's silly.”

“How is it silly?”

Josh looked utterly miserable, “I'm falling in love with someone and he's way out of my league, plus I'm pretty sure he's not into guys and if he _was_ into guys there's no way he'd be into a middle-aged Jewish man like me when he could have literally anyone else.” Josh sighed, “But he's gorgeous and funny and sweet. And when he looks at me it's like he _really_ looks at me, like he sees me and he doesn't dismiss me and Maddie, I'm an idiot. I always do this, I always fall for the wrong guy. You'd think after Greg I'd learn.”

“Okay, first off, you _cannot_ include Greg in any of that, it was one date _and_ it was a setup so he does not get to be in that list okay?” She smiled, “Secondly, I don't know who this guy is but he sounds pretty incredible, so it's no wonder you'd fall for him, or start falling for him. And thirdly, if there's even a small chance he's interested in guys, maybe you should make a move?”

Josh frowned, his shoulders slumped but he nodded, “Okay, okay, I'll stop including Greg, it's just, it's almost been a year and I know what I said at the sentencing but lately I can feel it creeping up on me you know?” He smiled softly, “Actually, you know him” Josh admitted and blinked, “You think so? I don't know Maddie, it could make a lot of things awkward if it doesn't work out.”

Maddie reached out and took one of Josh's hands, “Hey, I know. I felt the same way after Doug's death. Like he was some kind of spectre hanging over me. You survived Greg the same way I survived Doug, those scars don't heal right away, they take time. And some days things happen and they get torn back open, it's okay, you just have to let them heal again.” She blinked, “I do?” He could tell she was thinking through the single men they both knew and then gasped, “Oh my god. Buck?”

Josh squeezed her hand and took another drink of coffee. He swallowed and nodded, “Yeah, spectre's a good word for it, usually I'm okay but yeah, it's just... coming back again.” He nodded when she asked if she did and then flushed, nodding again, “I... yeah.”

Maddie smiled, “It's okay if it does, no one gets over trauma all at once. I'm glad you told me, if you ever need to talk I'm here for you, even if it's just texts because Malia is sleeping okay?” She shook her head and sighed, “Well, I can't really give you any advice there, except that life is too short to be miserable wondering about what if.”

Josh smiled, “I will. Thanks Maddie.” He hung his head and then looked up, smiling a little bit, “So, if I made a move on Buck you wouldn't hate me?”

“Any time Josh, you're my best friend.” She laughed then, shaking her head, “Of course not. I love you and I love Buck, if something happened between you two well, there are a lot worse people I could picture my brother involved with.”

Josh nodded and then laughed too, “Thanks again Maddie, I appreciate the support, all of it.”

“You're welcome.” She sipped her latte and relaxed, enjoying the time with Josh. She'd need to be home soon enough but for now she was happy.


End file.
